On December 3, 2018 Gamida Cell Ltd. (Nasdaq: GMDA), a leading cellular and immune therapeutics company, reported translational data showing that recipients who received NiCord, an investigational cell therapy in Phase 3 clinical development for allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell (bone marrow) transplant had rapid and robust reconstitution of key immune cells (Press release, Gamida Cell, DEC 3, 2018, View Source [SID1234531840]). Successful immune reconstitution is an important factor in the recovery of patients undergoing bone marrow transplant. These translational data from the completed Phase 1/2 study of NiCord were presented in a poster session during the American Society of Hematology (ASH) (Free ASH Whitepaper) 2018 Annual Meeting being held December 1-4 in San Diego, CA.1

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"Immune reconstitution following transplantation is critical for disease and viral control, but historically cord blood transplantation has had limitations in timely immune reconstitution in patients," said Jaap-Jan Boelens, M.D., Ph.D., Chief, Pediatric Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapies Service, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. "We were pleased to see that NiCord treatment resulted in rapid and robust immune reconstitution when compared to younger patients who typically achieve more rapid recovery than adults."

Despite the curative potential of bone marrow transplants, it is estimated that more than 40 percent of eligible patients in the U.S. do not receive one for various reasons, including finding a matched donor.2 While umbilical cord blood provides a source of stem cells for patients who do not have a matched related donor, it provides a smaller number of stem cells, which can delay engraftment and put patients at a greater risk for prolonged hospitalizations and life-threatening infections. NiCord is designed to address these limitations by offering a therapeutic dose of expanded cells while preserving the functional characteristics of stem cells.

Data Presented at ASH (Free ASH Whitepaper) 2018
The poster presentation, "Rapid and robust CD4+ and CD8+ T-, NK-, B- and monocyte cell reconstitution after nicotinamide-expanded cord blood transplantation" (Abstract 2123), described early, in-depth immune reconstitution data from the completed Phase 1/2, multicenter clinical study of NiCord as a stand-alone graft after myeloablative therapy in patients with high-risk hematologic malignancies.3 A random subgroup of 27 patients from this study had extensive immune monitoring evaluated throughout the first year after transplant. The primary endpoint was the probability of achieving CD4+ immune reconstitution (>50×106/L) within the first 100 days, and the secondary endpoints included the recovery of B cells, CD4+ T cells and natural killer (NK) cells during the first year after transplantation. These data were compared to cohorts of adolescent and young adults with hematologic malignancies receiving unmanipulated cord blood transplantation (n=27) or unrelated bone marrow transplantation (n=20). Analyses were performed at the University Medical Centre Utrecht, Laboratory of Translational Immunology.

Key findings from the analysis include the following:

91 percent of patients achieved successful immune reconstitution of CD4+ T cells at 100 days after transplantation with NiCord.
Immune reconstitution of T cells was similar in the NiCord group (median age: 41.5 years) compared to the younger cohorts receiving unmanipulated cord blood and unrelated bone marrow (median ages 15.4 and 14.3 years, respectively).
Immune reconstitution of B cells (p = 0.02) and NK cells (p < 0.001) was significantly faster after transplantation with NiCord compared to the other groups.
Immune reconstitution after NiCord transplantation was associated with recovery of a broad spectrum of T cell, B cell and NK cell subsets representing a range of effector functions similar to that observed with other graft sources.
"These data, combined with the clinical data from our Phase 1/2 study of NiCord in patients with high-risk blood cancers, suggest that NiCord has the potential to be an important treatment option for patients undergoing bone marrow transplant," stated Ronit Simantov, M.D., chief medical officer at Gamida Cell. "We are working to advance our NiCord clinical development program and expect to complete patient enrollment in our ongoing Phase 3 study in the second half of 2019."

About NiCord
NiCord, the company’s lead clinical program, is under development as a universal bone marrow transplant solution for patients with high-risk hematologic malignancies. NiCord has been granted breakthrough status by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, making it the first bone marrow transplant alternative to receive this designation. It has also received U.S. and EU orphan drug designation. A Phase 3 study evaluating NiCord in patients with leukemia and lymphoma is ongoing in the United States, Europe and Asia.4 For more information on NiCord clinical trials, please visit www.clinicaltrials.gov.